After nearly 70 years in show business, Jerry Lewis (right) continues to do standup and serve as leader of the storied Friars Club. He just hosted a lavish dinner at the venerable comedy institution to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his film The Nutty Professor. He’s also set to perform a show in Las Vegas next month, and has two fall concerts planned for Los Angeles. Lewis makes several trips a year from his Las Vegas home to the private comedy club in New York City, where he serves as Abbot.

As Abbot, Lewis offers guidance to up-and-comers. One tip… Appreciate your fans. He has come under fire in recent years for his bias against female comics, and can be cantankerous and unpredictable in interviews and on stage. However, his abiding love of connecting through comedy is clear. He feels the magic when he talks to fans after the show.

Since the Friars Club’s inception in 1904, the members have always lavished praise upon their entertainment peers through elegant dinners consisting of engaging testimonials. An opportunity for the Friars to show appreciation to their brethren in the arts and humanities, they select a guest of honor and invite their friends and celebrity fans to honor them in an evening of splendor.

From George M. Cohan and Irving Berlin down through the years, the greats have shared this esteemed accolade: Jack Benny, George Jessel, Dean Martin, Barbra Streisand, Elizabeth Taylor, Dr. Henry Kissinger, Carol Burnett, Walter Cronkite, Kirk Douglas, Neil Simon, Barbara Walters, John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Tom Cruise, and Larry King, among others have been saluted by their fellow Friars.

Such legends as Humphrey Bogart, Milton Berle, Johnny Carson, Lucille Ball, Sid Caesar, and Jerry Lewis have also been skewered in Celebrity Roasts, along with high profile celebrities such as Bruce Willis, Chevy Chase, Richard Pryor, Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, Kelsey Grammer, Hugh Hefner, Donald Trump, Matt Lauer, Quentin Tarantino, and Betty White. It’s the official motto: We always Roast the ones we love! that has endeared these honorees to the Friars.

Jerry Lewis has been the club’s Abbot since 2006. Comic Alan King held the post previously, after Frank Sinatra’s 20-year tenure. Lewis oversees the annual roasts and helps with fundraising, continuing the philanthropic tradition he began with the annual Muscular Dystrophy Association over 60 years ago. The comedian’s abrupt departure as the national chairman of the organization and face of its Labor Day telethon still hasn’t been explained, and he refuses to talk about it. Despite the drama, leading the Friars Club is an honor steeped in tradition that carries a noble entertainment legacy.

One thing is for sure, Jerry Lewis is still a living-legend.

Until next time> “never forget”

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This entry was posted on Friday, June 6th, 2014 at 12:59 am and is filed under Blog by Manny Pacheco.
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